Destiny 2: Introducing the Latest Crucible PVP Mode ‘Survival’

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A finite number of lives, permanent death, and coordinated team tactics are the three core elements that make up Destiny 2‘s Survival mode. On the surface, adding a limit to the amount of lives that a team can use may seem like a simple tweak to the PVP formula, but it reinforces the competitive philosophy that’s already been established with the addition of Countdown in the Crucible. This is the second of what will hopefully be a plethora of modes that require teams of players to be built before heading into a particular mode. It’s exactly what we hope to see more of in Destiny 2’s PVP offerings.

Survival turned out to be one of our favorite experiences during the trip to Bungie. While not as competitive as a Destiny 1 event like Trials of Osiris, Survival keeps the importance of staying alive while not making the player feel like they haven’t contributed should they get killed once or twice by the opponent. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and we couldn’t help but pull off one ear of our headsets so we could communicate effective strategies. It is, in our brief experience so far, a fantastic addition to the existing pool of PVP options that players already love.

In addition to the new mode we were treated to a map reveal! Altar of Flame (see video above) takes us back to Mercury in another medium-sized map with a few lanes for snipers as well as medium- to close-quarter locations for players who like to get up close and personal. The heavy ammunition drop is located in the middle of the map and will force players to meet, should they want to prevent their enemy from gaining the upper hand via sniper rifle rounds. It’s hard not to think of Destiny 1’s Lighthouse when you’re there, as the map’s design has elements of the much sought-after Destiny 1 location. I love the fact that with many maps we’ve seen, there are cases to be made for each weapon type. Destiny 1 struggled with a reliance on the current meta being selected for each scenario and that trend seems to be changing, which give me hope that we’re going to see unique loadouts in each PVP encounter. Time will tell.

If you like Destiny 2 don’t forget to check out our Fireteam Chat podcast dedicated entirely to chatting about the latest happenings in the game. The show posts every Friday at 5pm PT with new insight, details, and sometimes exclusive interviews with the developer all about Destiny. It can be found on YouTube, iTunes, and all major podcast platforms. And if you’ve missed any of our month-long IGN First coverage on Destiny 2, get caught up on everything.

Destin Legarie is a Producer at IGN. You can follow him on TwitterYouTube or on Twitch. Warning. He will ask for Destiny help.